Exactly What It Seems
by Tina Titan
Summary: A rewrite of "Titanimals or How to Make a Bunny Raven Disappear."
1. Ladies and Gentlemen

**Author's notes: Hello my loves! It happened! Someone requested a story! The amazing retro mania requested that I rewrite the Teen Titans episode "Titanimals or How to Make a Bunny Raven Disappear." I had so much fun coming up with this idea, so big shout out to you, retro mania. No personal updates y'all should worry about. Stories… I think I'm going to add a chapter to Don't you think I've tried. Maybe. An idea came to me that I want to explore before I make any decisions. Still Family** _ **will**_ **have a third chapter. Leverage fic will eventually happen. Also I have this idea of Matt and Jania crossing over with the Flarrowverse. Maybe. Possibly. I have to outline. (I hate fucking outlines)**

 **There's going to be swearing in here. There's not really another way to say it. Will avoid the F-bomb as much as possible. Everything else is fair game.**

Jump City glows as the sun shines overhead. It's people hussle and bussle in the warm weather. Children shrieking with laughter and young couples falling in and out of love. The city moves, breathes, and lives. Every second seems to build upon the next. Many civilians, in the few moments they may take to pull their minds away from their lives, will look to the tower in the middle of the bay. The T radiates power and pride. A simple message that all of them feel. No one will mess with their city.

None of them want to be here. Heroes coming to a city that isn't theirs is a pretty big deal, but they would all gladly never travel again if it meant never sitting through this boring ass meeting. Robin hates it more than any of them as he has to go through all of it. He assumes they understand not to reveal their secret identities and what not to put online. But as his mentor use to say, you can't assume to know anything about anyone. He can actually feel their hatred as he explains documenting all their training for progress.

His friends feel a little bad for him. They know he couldn't give less of a shit, but rather than emailing all this out, he had them come and listen to him drone. Kid Flash moves his leg up and down, wondering where he could run before anyone noticed he was gone. Aqualad and Bumblebee keep exchanging looks at each other, wondering when the boy wonder was going to wrap up. Poor Starfire doesn't understand half of what Robin's saying, as the many platforms of social media confuse her. Nevertheless she still listens intently. Cyborg has checked out, surfing the web in his mind. Raven and Tara quietly talk at the other end of the table, both occasionally looking at Beast Boy. Mas y menos speak to each other in rapid fire Spanish. Wonder girl watches Speedy tweak one of his arrows.

"Robin," Bumblebee interrupts him," I'm sorry but can you possibly stop for a few minutes?"

"Yeah," Robin sits," Look I know this is boring-"

"Dude, watching grass is more interesting than this," Kid Flash says," And believe me I've tried that before."

"Si, es muy aburrdio," Mas says

"Es tan aburrido como-" Aqualad cuts Menos off.

"Guys, two things. One we talked about speaking in English around other people. Second, I think he gets it." He says.

"I personally do not understand why I must be here. Athena herself could not have designed something more confusing." Wonder Girl tosses the pages about social media usage on the table. Paradise Island doesn't have access to most of the world. Donna definitely prefers this when it comes to technology and many of outside world's values.

"Come on, guys," Terra scolds," He doesn't want to be here as much as the rest of us."

"Oh thank god," Speedy mumbles as the alarms go off," I thought I was gonna have to slit my wrists."

"What is it?" Starfire asks Cyborg. She has to tap his shoulder to get his attention. He pulls up the alarms.

"Mumbo. He's robbing the Bank of Perez." Cyborg informs them. Raven feels a twinge of annoyance at the mention of this villain. She'd seen what he could do, which compared to her were parlor tricks. He caused pain and mischief, cackling as he did so. She worked her ass off to keep her powers in line.

"Who's going?" All the heroes were itching for a fight. However there's an unspoken etiquette. If it isn't your city, you wait for orders. That being said, Kid Flash has never really been one to follow orders. Cyborg pulls up a live feed from the bank. About twenty or so henchmen, all dressed like magicians, are breaking into the safe. Robin looks around the room at his fellow heroes. They're all itching for a fight.

"We're all going," It's probably massive overkill, but Mumbo has proven to be a massive pain especially with his powers. Most of the heroes are moving to the door before he can say anything else. Raven hasn't moved yet," You coming?"

"With as many people as we have? I think me being there is a bit of overkill," She really has no patience for dealing with all these people plus Mumbo. Robin puts a hand on her shoulder.

"You're our best shot against someone like Mumbo. You know more about magic than just about anyone I know. We need you," Raven finds some comfort in her friend's pep talk. She doesn't like showing other heroes her powers. It doesn't end well for her. She nods. Robin gives her his half cocky grin," Let's go."

/Line Break/

Mumbo Jumbo feel like the king of the world. With his minions robbing the vault, he can't help but taunt some of the poor suckers that were here during his heist.

"Sorry about this, toots," He says to the female teller. She struggles against her bonds," Guess I can bank on you not giving me your number?"

He laughs at his own awful joke. The front doors burst open. Two streaks, one yellow and the other white, fly through the room. The teller along with all the other hostages vanish. Kid Flash and Mas y Menos stand at the entrance, their friends not far behind. Robin has his bo staff out.

"It's over, Mumbo." He shouts.

"Get them!" Mumbo yells at his minions. As a few of the hench men run at them, Terra jumps in front. Her eyes and hands begin to glow. The ground raises with her hands, making a wall. She yells, punching the air. The wall flies back, taking out a few henchmen. The others jump into action. Wonder Girl uses her lasso to throw a man into others. Speedy fires as many arrows as he can, causing a general panic. Aqualad, being a little limited, helps Cyborg fight the men still holding bags of money. Bumblebee and Starfire fly above all of them, firing at the henchmen. Between the twelve of them, the fight should go fast. But no matter what they hit the bastards, they keep getting up. Raven sees Mumbo trying to escape.

"What's the matter?" She asks, appearing from the shadows," Don't want anyone to see what a big phoney you are?"

"Phoney?!" He exclaims," Kid, my magic is just as real as yours."

"I doubt that." Her friends are starting to win. She can feel their emotions as they near the end of the battle.

"Perhaps you need a more hands on experience," Mumbo says, pulling his hat off. He aims it at her," MUMBO JUMBO!"

The air pressure changes. Everyone in the room stops as they feel it. Raven is being pulled forward into the hat! She turns, trying to get away. She trips. Robin, who'd been closest, makes a jump to grab her hand. Raven holds on for dear life. Robin feels himself being pulled with her. Everyone runs over, grabbing each other to keep from being pulled in.

"Raven!" Robin yells.

"Robin!" Starfire shouts.

"Starfire!" Cyborg yells.

"DUDES!" Beast Boy changes into an elephant, hoping to anchor them down. No avail. The heroes fly into the hat. All of them still clinging to each other. Robin feels Raven's hand slipping.

"Hold on!" He tells her.

"I can't!" She yells before her fingers slip from his. As she falls, all she can think is _this isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real._

 _Is it?_

 **Author's note: That doesn't seem too awful (waits for reviews anxiously). Anyway. I have some other stories coming out here in the week or so. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**


	2. Are You Ready

**Author's notes: I swear to God, I didn't mean to take so long to write this! I'm so sorry about the sudden hiatus, my loves! I started my second semester of classes and got slammed with homework. That on top of my job (which I just got promoted at!) means I have like ZERO time to myself. I've also been trying to write a crossover fic with my OCs and the Flarrowverse which is taking a lot longer than I anticipated. UGGGGGHHHHH Anyway, I figured I could take a break from that to update this story. Thank you, Retro mania, for being super understanding about my sudden absence.**

 **Other announcements: Like I said there's a big crossover fic coming out soon. Then I'm going to finish Still Family. I have some ideas for Don't You Think I've Tried, but no time. I now have an AO3 account (secondgenerationnerd). Same stories, just different platform. Ok that's all. ENJOY THE STORY!**

She can't breathe. She can't see. There's darkness all around her. _It's ok_ , she tells herself, trying to calm herself, _This isn't real. It's just in your head._

Mumbo's annoying voice fills the darkness around her," This will teach you not to heckle the headliner! Presto Chango!"

Raven feels strange. Her skin is much warmer and her hearing much sharper. Her nose begins to twitch in annoyance. Wait, that's never happened before. She's been annoyed at Beast Boy enough to know her nose isn't suppose to twitch. A blinding ray of light hits her. It takes a second for her eyes to adjust, but when she looks down her heart sinks. She's a bunny. This isn't real. Mumbo can't possibly be powerful enough to turn her into anything. Her ears droop and she doesn't even try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice," Great."

She'll admit, whatever hypnosis he's using is pretty powerful. She almost believes that she is a rabbit. Almost.

"This can't be for real. It's just one of Mumbo's illusions." She says to the darkness. There's a loud pop and- Oh, you've gotta be kidding. A huge playing card appears in front of her. It's just one of Mumbo's illusions.

"Well, well, well," He- at least she thinks it's a he- looks her over," Look what the hat dragged in.

"Umm...Who are you?" She asks.

"I'm Anycard! You know, pick a card any card?" He gives her a massive smile. Raven can actually feel herself getting stupider talking to him.

"Uh-huh," She's not convinced," Where am I?"

"You're inside Mumbo's hat!" Anycard exclaims. He and Starfire would get along great. Every sentence seems to end with an exclamation point.

"And I'm a rabbit. Why?"

"Do you always ask such stupid questions?" Raven rolls her eyes at the accusation. No doubt it's Mumbo trying to make her question her sanity. Or just trying to piss her off. If it's the latter, then it is most definitely working.

"That's it. I'm out of here," She raises her arms," Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The incantation doesn't return her home like she wanted. Instead her 'ears' twist together in a bow. She ignores the fact that this hurts. Mumbo must have hit her upside the head. Anycard laughs at her," Your magic won't work. Mumbo's the only magician in here. The rest of us are just for tricks."

Raven can feel her anger rising up in her cheeks. She forces the feelings down, taking a more stoic approach. As she unties her 'ears', she scoffs," I'm nobody's prop. So, how do I get out?"

"I can't tell you that!" Mumbo's voice fills the darkness once again and his hand reaches down towards her," A magician never reveals his secrets!"

Anycard yelps," The Hand! Scram!"

He takes off running. Raven doesn't have the time to figure out what's happening until Mumbo grabs her by the 'ears'. She fights him as much as she can, snarling," If you're really so amazing, Mumbo, what do you need me for?"

His laughter is too loud. _This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real_ , she repeats this chant to herself over and over," You're going to be my assistant for the big show tonight!"

"I'm not helping you with your stupid magic tricks," She grounds that last word in. Any magician worth their wand hates their work being referred to as tricks. At least, that's what Zatanna had told her.

"Silly rabbit!" He cackles," You don't have a choice! My hat, My rules!"

With that, Raven is pulled from the darkness and to somewhere much, much worse.

/Line Break/

Robin is the first one to wake up. His head throbs in protest as he sits up. Starfire stirs by his side," Robin?"

"I'm here," He reassures her," Titans, sound off."

"Do we have to?" Kid flash groans. The other titans answer in a similar fashion. No one's dead, which is always a good sign. Donna stands first.

"By the Gods, what realm are we in?" She asks. There's no light whatsoever, yet they can see each other clearly.

"I don't know," Robin helps Starfire stand. If any of them notice his hand linger on hers for an extra second, they don't mention it.

"Where is Raven?" Starfire asks.

"I lost my grip on her," Robin doesn't meet any of their eyes. They know he blames himself. He's the leader, he's supposed to protect his team. None of them know about what happened the last time someone he cared about fell away from him.

"Do you want me and the twins to scout out the area?" Kidflash asks.

"No," Robin shakes his head," There's no telling where we are. We need to stick together until we find Raven."

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Speedy asks, raising an eyebrow at the boy wonder.

"We start walking. Once we find Raven, she'll be able to use her magic and get us out of here," Bumblebee comes to Robin's aid. She understands the burden of being a leader, especially the part where everyone questions your authority. Robin gives her a small, grateful smile before nodding in agreement.

"Let's get going then," Cyborg insists," The sooner we find Raven, the sooner we kick Mumbo's ass, the sooner we get to go home."

For the hero's this is a good a plan as any.

 **Author's notes: Yay! I got a chapter finished. All my previous notes stand, but I wanted to add this at the end. After I post the rest of this story, my crossover fic, and the last chapter of Still Family, I'm probably going to go on a break. Life is just really busy right now, and I need to figure some things out. It won't be forever, just a while. Love you all!**


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